6/30/13

Oh boy, June sure went by fast! Here are some pics of my June from my Instagram feed. Lots of lovely flowers and peaches from the garden. Unfortunately not much sewing going on, just a lot of jam making :)

How was your June? Did you finish all the projects that you had planned?

I'm really looking forward to July; hopefully a more productive month sewing wise. And simply enjoy the long warm days of summer.

6/23/13

Today I started a new quilt. It has been on my mind for a couple of months. Ever since I found this uberly cute Robert Kaufman fabric at my local Beverly's store. It is called Superhero News Paper. When I stumbled upon the bolt of fabric at the store I was not even looking for children's fabric, but I couldn't resist buying it. The colors are vibrant and happy, and the characters so whimsical. Even the selvedge is cute! So I thought I have to make a quilt for my nephew. He is four years old and I'm sure he will get a kick out the comical characters. Plus, what little boy doesn't like superheroes? Right?

By the time I left the store I had already planned out the design of the quilt... I love it when that happens. I just hate that it took me this long to actually get started. I'm practicing my improv piecing on this quilt and I made a lot of progress. I'm hoping to show you the finished quilt very soon. I'm really excited about this one :)

6/18/13

On my table right now... a new pincushion I'm working on. Because one can never have too many pincushions.

Also the second week of the 2013 New Blogger Blog Hop for Modern Quilters is going on right now. The blog hop is organized by my friend Beth from Plum and June. This is the second year that she organizes it; an it is a wonderful event for new and new(ish) bloggers. Last year as a new blogger I asked her if I could join in and I'm so thankful I did. I met wonderful friends and learned so much about blogging. Join in the fun and come and visit the bloggers participating this week. They all have some wonderful and inspiring things to share. Come and support them by leaving them a message and maybe make some new friends along the way:

6/16/13

And the peach madness continues around here... there is such a bounty and a bit of a race to preserve the fruit at the peak of its ripeness. So today I devoted the day to make jam. Lots of jam; I have to say I couldn't have done it without my husband's help. We made about 30 pounds of peaches into jam. So there was a lot of washing, peeling, cutting and of course lots of dirty pots and pans to wash. But it was all worth it. There is so much satisfaction from growing our own food and sharing with the people we love. It is such a blessing.

I wish I could share with you some jam, but that will be a bit complicated. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you instead. This is a reduced or low sugar freezer jam.I don't like things that are overly sweet and my father-in-law is diabetic, so I'm always trying to find ways to cook with less sugar. This is my go to recipe for jam. It is a very easy to make and the best part is that you can store it in the freezer. Thus, you can skip the water bath processing.

* I like to use Ball Canning Jars, they work really well for storing food in the freezer*

Method:
1. In a pot over medium-high heat combine the peaches and lemon juice and bring to boil.
2. In a bowl combine sugar and pectin ans whisk to combine. Add sugar mixture to fruit and stir to combine. Allow to return to boil for 1 minute and remove from heat.
3. Fill jars leaving 1/2 inch of head space. Put lids on the jars and let jam cool and set at room temperature for about 3 hours. Label jars and store in the freezer.

-Jam can be stored for up to a year in the freezer. When ready to use thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

6/10/13

It looks like summer has arrived: and with that peaches from our tree. Yesterday we picked the first ones! I have been literally stalking the peach tree for the past two months: waiting eagerly for the fruit to ripen. -Is it wrong to be this excited about fruit? - I know it is just fruit, but I can't help it. I love the flavor of fresh fruit just picked from the tree. There is nothing like it... warm from the sun yet it tastes fresh.

The trees from the garden have been very generous this year. We are still picking lemons. Thus, I couldn't help myself and baked a lemon cake. I adapted it from this recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine. The only changes that I made was to bake it in a 9"X9" square pan and added the glaze. I used this recipe for the glaze (the one from my double lemon cookies). It makes an excellent snack or tea cake. Totally recommend it.

Well, now I'm off to eat some more peaches and maybe sew for a little bit. I've missed my sewing machine. I feel like we have been apart for a long time.

6/6/13

I made another scalloped apron. This one is for one of the ladies at the Crafty Cooks Apron Swap I participated in last April. She did not receive an apron from her partner. It should not happen, but once in a while someone just goes silent and leaves everyone wondering what might have happened (I hope this person is OK, though). Anyway, Sam one the co-hosts e-mailed me and asked me if I could help her by making another scalloped apron like the one I made my partner since she hear that she really like it... I was happy to help. So last Sunday I made it and it is now on its way to its new home along with another pretty apron that Sam made. I'm glad that this story has a happy ending after all; and even if she did not receive an apron from her partner now she gets two :)

6/3/13

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Things were a bit busy around here and Monday came way too soon (lol). Nonetheless, I had a wonderful weekend. Lots of cooking and some sewing as well (I'll share with you later this week).

One of the things I made this weekend was granola. I have been quite obsessed with granola lately and I have been making it quite often. I try to vary it every time so we don't get bored, but this is one of my favorite versions. It is crunchy and not too sweet. I love to sprinkle it on top of my yogurt in the morning or on fresh fruit. It also makes for a great snack.

*The instructions on the jar of coconut oil said to melt the coconut oil in a water bath (bain-marie). I did it one time and then I tried melting it in the microwave by microwaving it in 10 second increments. Both methods give the same results.

2. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well until everything is well coated with the oil and agave nectar. Spread on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it is a nice golden brown color. Turn the sheet half way through the baking process.

3. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

The granola will keep fresh for a week if stored in an air-tight container.